By: Altaf Hussain Rather
Inventions and discoveries, innovations and advancement have created a revolution all over the world not only in the personal life of an individual, but also in all the fields of life including education, business and creativity. However, any invention is capable of both positive as well as negative impacts and it depends upon an individual to decide for him/ her.
While mobile and internet have made communication faster, reduced distances and made work easier, its negative use has also created many difficulties. It is disheartening when we see our young generation wasting their precious time with excessive use of the screen and we are not being able to do anything in this matter.
Mothers are exposing their innocent children to this colourful catastrophe and when the children get used to it, they hold their heads and sit down and look for ways to get the children out of it. In fact, the mind of a small child, for whom every colourful and moving thing is a source of attraction and comfort, soon gets attracted towards it and gradually starts getting used to it. Parents engage the children in it to find ease for themselves and deal with their daily chores. But they soon realise that this trend will prove dangerous and harmful for their child’s future.
Today, the use of mobile phones as well as other screens such as computers, laptops, TVs and tablets is increasing among children. Children are discovering new worlds through these gadgets. Some are spending hours in a world full of action and violence through games, while some are connecting with strangers on various social media apps.
During the corona pandemic, the use of such devices gained huge popularity and nearly all children started experimenting with internet for the sake of distance education. But it soon turned upside down as children explore more than what was needed and got addicted to screen and abundance of activities available online.
Due to this screen addiction, children started displaying weird behavioural changes include mood swings, anger, impatience and even violence.
Children’s physical activities are showing a steep decline due to the increased use of screens and our playgrounds and amusement parks look empty. The academic results are adversely affected as children lack interest in studies. Moreover, access to pornographic content from the internet is no less than poison for the young generation. This has also affected their social traits and community engagements drawing them away from relationships and religion.
Parents, peers, teachers and influencers need to be very careful. If they do not keep checks and balances while giving gadgets in their children’s hands, they themselves will be responsible for ruining their future.
We cannot keep children away from modern technology for long, but we can instil discipline in them by staying close to them and monitoring them. Take them with you to the field and parks, keep them aware of the dangers of unnecessary use of mobile phones and other gadgets and set up a time table for household chores and routine tasks and keep children with you. Include them in socio-religious activities so that their beliefs are strengthened. Their interest in pet care, home decoration and gardening, drawing and artwork should be encouraged and they should be introduced to courses where they can learn new things of their interests and hobbies.
A new study has found that cutting back on social media and screen use by as little as 15 minutes a day can significantly improve overall health and immunity in children and reduce levels of loneliness and depression.
On the other hand, mobile phone companies should also improve their performance on mobile apps and ensure that positive content is broadcasted to have a positive impact on the minds of the young generation so that the invention of these gadgets can be a blessing instead of a nuisance and our children can make full judicious use of them.
The author is a teacher at GovtMiddle SchoolKawharPayeen Zone FatehgarhBaramulla& can be mailed at ratheraltaf184@gmail.com)
